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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29193423">A Conversation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/celine_cooperjones/pseuds/celine_cooperjones'>celine_cooperjones</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Missing Scenes, Spoilers for 5x03 of Riverdale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:56:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,016</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29193423</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/celine_cooperjones/pseuds/celine_cooperjones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Can we have a conversation about this?” </p><p>We didn’t get to see said conversation so here’s my own little take on it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alice Cooper &amp; FP Jones II, Alice Cooper/FP Jones II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Conversation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He’s tried his best to ignore the way Alice looked at him all day, but it felt like her eyes were burning a hole into him with every single glance. He knows he shouldn’t have just sprung it on her, knows he should’ve told her separately or at least talked about what to do with her, but he hadn’t been thinking. All he wanted is what’s best for his daughter, and if that meant giving up his own happiness for her well being, then so be it. </p><p>He watches as Alice brushes through her hair, the silence and tension in their bedroom, thick as thieves. “I take it you’re mad at me?” FP wonders aloud. </p><p>She pauses, looking at him through the mirror, at the way he’s fiddling with his hands to keep himself distracted. “I’m not mad at you.” She tells him calmly. “I just wish you had spoken to me before deciding to leave town.” </p><p>“I knew you wouldn’t approve.” </p><p>“You’re damn right I don’t approve!” She bites, glaring at him now. The calmness she had felt at first now bubbling away. “I know you think she needs her mom, and I agree, as heinous as I think that woman is, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave too.” </p><p>“She’s my daughter, Alice, and something is clearly wrong, I’m not just going to send her off to Toledo and abandon her again. Not when I finally have her back.” </p><p>“I’m not saying you need to abandon her, I just… I guess I don’t really understand your decision.” </p><p>He frowns and finally makes his way over to her, kneeling in front of her. “I don’t expect you to like it but I want you to at least see where I’m coming from.” He places his hands on her knees, thumbs stroking gently. “Gladys uprooted her life to come here, and while it was fine at first… well you know how it all turned out. So Gladys leaving, Jug going off to college, it’s all just so much for her. So I think that, maybe, all of us being together could help. Give her a sense of stability again.” </p><p>Her eyebrows furrow. “And you and I aren’t stable?” </p><p>“Alice-“ </p><p>“No, just… just don’t.” </p><p>“Don’t be mad, let’s talk about this.” </p><p>“I can’t talk about it,” Alice tells him, he notices the tears in her eyes then. “It hurts too much.” </p><p>“You said you wanted to understand.” </p><p>“I do, but I don’t think I’ll be able to understand why helping Jellybean involves the both of you leaving me.” She sniffles. “And besides, you’ve made up your mind. Nothing I say or do can change it.” She gets up from the chair she was sitting in and makes her way to the closet, leaving FP sitting alone. </p><p>He sighs, running a hand through his hair before standing up himself, and stripping off his clothes from the day. He makes his way over to his side of the bed and prepares to slip under the covers when he catches a glimpse of Alice, shoulders shaking as she cries silently. His heart aches at the sight and he makes a beeline for the closet. </p><p>She senses him immediately and as soon as he’s close, turns around and folds into his arms, crying into his chest as he holds her tight. “I’m sorry.” He whispers into her hair. “I’m so, so sorry.” </p><p>“This isn’t fair.” She speaks quietly. “Why can’t we ever be happy?” </p><p>“I don’t know. But this past year has been one of the best of my life, despite all the crap going on in this damn town, having you back has made it all worth it.” She tenses in his arms at his words and he immediately grows confused. “What’s wrong?” </p><p>She shakes her head, waving him off. “Nothing, it’s nothing. Let’s just go to bed.” He doesn’t move, just stares at her. “Really, I’m okay.” She takes his hand in her own, loosely linking their fingers as she guides them out of the closet and to their bed. </p><p>They climb into bed in silence, neither one speaking as they pull the covers up around themselves. As she lies on her back, Alice looks over at FP, his back is to her but something tells her he’s not asleep. </p><p>She inches closer to him, her soft hand coming to his shoulder. “FP?” Her voice is small, barely above a whisper. “Are you still awake?” </p><p>“Yeah.” He answers after a moment, reaching up to take her hand as he rolls onto his back. </p><p>“Can I ask you something?” </p><p>He nods, looking into her eyes. She looks terrified, as if whatever she’s about to ask him is life or death. “Of course.” </p><p>“When you decided all of this, how come you didn’t think to take me with you?” </p><p>“I did.” He tells her, not missing a beat. “But I couldn’t, wouldn’t, do that to you.” </p><p>“What do you mean?” </p><p>“Alice your whole life is here. I knew if I asked you to come along, you would drop everything, and I don’t want to be the reason you give up everything you’ve worked for.” </p><p>“You and Jellybean are also my life.” She reminds him. </p><p>“I know we are, and believe me, Alice, you’re mine, but I would rather die than see you throw everything away for me.” </p><p>“I don’t want to have to miss you again.” </p><p>The words break his heart and he swallows down the lump in his throat. “This isn’t the last time I’ll see you, I promise, I’ll come back.” </p><p>“You better. Otherwise I’m forcing RIVW to uproot to Toledo.” </p><p>He chuckles. “Come here, you.” She happily melts into his arms, savouring the feel of them around her. “I want you to know that I love you, that my leaving to go to Toledo doesn’t have anything to do with you, I just… I need to do what’s best for Jellybean.” </p><p>She doesn’t say another word, can’t find the right ones anyway, so instead she leans in and kisses him, telling him without words that she knows.</p>
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